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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25106920">I love you, Ser Pounce</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoNut/pseuds/ChocoNut'>ChocoNut</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Modern JB love [28]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Roommates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:14:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,405</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25106920</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoNut/pseuds/ChocoNut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ser Pounce wanders away one evening, Jaime drags Brienne out of office to help him find his deceased son's beloved pet.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Modern JB love [28]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1557871</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>89</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I love you, Ser Pounce</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay, this is something that woke me up at 3 a.m last night and I won't be peaceful until I get it out of my way.<br/>Mutual pining and fluffy fluff (mostly stuff that came to me in a dream)<br/>Thank you for reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Bronn just called.”</p><p>Brienne looked up from her laptop to find anxious green eyes urging her to get up. “Jaime--”</p><p>“Ser Pounce is missing!” He was breathless, like he’d rushed up a fleet of stairs without a break. “We need to leave at once,” he insisted, lines of worry appearing on his forehead. “So why don’t you pack up so we can get back and search the neighbourhood.”</p><p>“Sit down, Jaime,” she said, trying to calm him down, “and tell me--”</p><p>“Now, wench,” he hissed, harping on his urgency. “We need to go home now--”</p><p>“Give me a few minutes, Jaime--”</p><p>“It’s already 8 p.m. How much longer do you want to sit here? Work can continue on Monday--”</p><p>“Fine,” she relented, and only then did he sink into the chair across hers, allowing himself to breathe. </p><p>Ser Pounce was his beloved son Tommen’s prized pet, and after the boy died, Jaime looked after the cat like it was his own child. Nothing, other than her immediate assistance to find the poor creature would pacify him. Brienne knew that. And she’d do anything for her best friend and roommate.</p><p>Within the next ten minutes, they were out and driving to their destination.</p><p>“He’ll be fine,” Brienne tried to soothe him, unable to stand his silence. A man with the gift of gab, it was eerie to have him sitting by her side, quiet and lost in thought when his non-stop nonsense was something she couldn’t imagine a day without. “Would have wandered away to the next street, probably--”</p><p>“<em>‘I love you, Ser Pounce’</em>, Tommy used to tell me, at times, even when Ser Pounce wasn’t around,” Jaime recounted wistfully, staring into the traffic ahead. “In the delirious state between sleep and consciousness or whenever he was under heavy medication. He used to mix up his pet and his father, the two dearest to him. Maybe--” he huffed out a breath of air “--it was one of his innocent ways of opening up his heart to me.”</p><p>Brienne smiled at him in the mirror. The man didn’t care about the world, about what people thought of him, but when it came to his loved ones, he’d climb any mountain to make them happy, cross any sea to ensure they lacked nothing.</p><p>The smile faded away when her mind wandered to her own equation with him, a dull ache rising up her chest. If only he saw her in a different light, noticed that she was head over heels in love with him... But considering how plain and ordinary--<em> no </em>, bordering on ugly, she was, she knew better than to fill her mind with illusions. Pampering herself with dreams that would never come true would be like running after a mirage. Unhealthy.</p><p><em> It’s fine, </em> she told herself, pulling into their parking lot. <em> I’ll be fine. </em></p><p>
  <em> Someday I might be able to move on… </em>
</p><p>But now, they had to get to the bottom of the problem at hand.</p><p>“Why don’t we put our bags indoors and then get to searching?” she suggested, fishing out her key and thrusting it into the lock. “So far, he’s never been lost. No matter where he goes, he always turns up after a while--”</p><p>“Surprise!”</p><p>Her first reaction  to this unexpected greeting as soon as she’d turned on the lights was to jump in shock. “What--”</p><p>“Happy Birthday,” chimed everyone in chorus, and she could make out at least about fifteen to twenty beaming faces, eager to wish her, to celebrate with her this special day she’d completely forgotten about.</p><p>After mumbling a quick thanks to her friends, once she’d taken a few seconds to come to terms with the crowd of people welcoming them, she turned to confront the one responsible for all this.</p><p>Grinning at her surprise, Jaime approached her. “Happy Birthday, Brienne.”</p><p>To hug him or to scold him? She was in two minds. “You made up all this story about Ser Pounce running off--”</p><p>“Sorry,” he sheepishly apologized, stretching his arms to embrace her as he stepped closer. “The workaholic that you are, I could think of no other way to get you out of work and here on time.”</p><p><em> You’re such a pain in the ass, at times, but I love you, </em>she almost let slip to him before she had the sense to check herself. </p><p>“Thank you, Jaime,” she murmured, instead, surrendering to the friendly warmth of his hug and the rush of emotions surging through her.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>*****</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>“Come on,” he muttered, trying to drag his tipsy friend who was mumbling incoherently to her bedroom. “Time to sleep--”</p><p>“No,” Brienne cried, resisting him like a stubborn child. “I don’t want--am not sleepy--”</p><p>“Let’s get you to bed before you collapse on the floor,” Jaime said firmly, and tightening his grip on her waist, he led her there.</p><p>Her inebriated state was proof that the party had been a resounding success. The guests had come and gone, indulging her, poking her out of her inhibitions and coaxing her to let her hair down for a change. While they’d gotten her to down quantities of booze she’d never handled before, now, when they’d cleared off, it was up to him to get her out of her work clothes and into something suitable for a good night’s sleep, to get her tucked in and comfortable, to take care of her and make sure she dreamed of whatever it was that made her warm and happy.</p><p><em> Renly, perhaps, </em>he reminisced with a sigh as he lay her down and pulled the covers over her. As long as the pretty boy lurked around their friend circle, she’d never even look twice at Jaime, let alone think of him as more than a bestie and her roomie. Her crush had turned up at the party which led her to make merry and have a blast. </p><p>And if she was happy, that was good enough for him. To make life less complicated, it would be better if he left it at that and let things continue the way they were.</p><p>“Goodnight, Brienne,” he whispered, then stayed put, taking a few seconds to admire his dear friend. Eyes shut, she was a picture of serenity and he’d go to any lengths to make sure tears never ended up in those beautiful pools. </p><p>When he got up to leave, he felt a tug on his wrist. “Brienne,” he said, turning to face her, “now why don’t you go to sleep like a good girl, so that I too can--”</p><p>“I love you, Ser Pounce.”</p><p>Stunned, he sank back into the bed beside her, struck by the look in the soulful eyes that arrested him in a mesmerizing bond.</p><p>“Brienne,” he began, when he’d found his tongue again. “You’re not in your senses--”</p><p>“I love you, Ser Pounce,” she said again, and though she sounded a bit woozy, her words were coherent, devoid of any haziness or doubt. As was the unspoken in her eyes. Grasping his hand tighter, she pulled him closer. “I have, for a while.”</p><p>Holding her hand, he let himself be sucked into those eyes, allowing what she’d just said to sink in, to let her words flood every living inch of his body. “Ser Pounce loves you too, wench,” he confessed, his voice breaking from the strain of holding back his feelings for what felt like an eternity. “He has, for a while.”</p><p>“Don’t leave.” Her gaze flickered from him to the vacant half of her bed. “Stay.”</p><p>Gently wrenching his hand from her custody, he straightened. While he would’ve gladly given his right hand to spend the night here making sweet love to her, she was barely in her senses. This was just the beginning. Much more, there was, to be said, to be exchanged, and a drunk woman on a vulnerable night was not the right way to start a memorable journey like this.</p><p>“Tomorrow,” he promised, planting a tender kiss on her mouth.</p><p>He watched her close her eyes with a contented smile.</p><p>He watched her until her breathing steadied while she drifted away to a world of dreams.</p><p>He watched her until the room was filled with soft snores.</p><p>Then, he kissed her again before leaving, carefully, though, lest he might jolt her out of her dreamland.</p><p><em> Tomorrow, </em> he reassured himself as he shut the door behind him. <em> And every other day and night after that. </em></p>
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